2025 Strategy Update

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From the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor About the Strategy Update Our Performance Our Strategy and its context Our Vision Our 2025 Strategic Priorities Strategic Priority A: Academic Excellence Strategic Priority B: Innovation and Engagement Strategic Priority C: Social Impact Strategic Enablers

1. From the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor

We are pleased to introduce UNSW’s 2025 Strategy Update. Since our foundation in 1949, UNSW has aimed to improve and transform lives through excellence in research, outstanding education and a commitment to advancing a just society. We are now one of the leading research and teaching-intensive universities in the world, known for innovative, pioneering research and high quality education with a global impact. Our ambitious 2025 Strategy was developed in 2015. It provided the framework for UNSW to further advance our contribution in academic excellence, social impact and global engagement, as a servant of our society. The achievements so far are impressive across the spectrum of research, education, thought leadership, equity, diversity, knowledge transfer and global impact. The pace of change required to deliver this progress has been intense and we are grateful to all who have made a contribution. We are now able to move into a phase where we can build on our achievements. This update reflects the experience of the first few years of implementation, feedback from the recent consultation process and changes in the external environment. It provides revised priorities against which we can assess, track and measure progress over the next few years. We look forward to working with students, staff, members of the UNSW Council and the broader UNSW community on the next phase of the 2025 Strategy.

Mr David Gonski AC Chancellor, UNSW Sydney

Professor Ian Jacobs President and Vice-Chancellor UNSW Sydney

2. About the Strategy Update

This document celebrates the key achievements of the first phase of the 2025 Strategy, highlighting where we have come from and where we are now. It also updates the framework against which we will assess, track and measure existing and new strategic initiatives over the next five years.

This review was informed by a comprehensive consultation process conducted in 2019. During the process, we asked the UNSW community what has worked and what has not, what lessons can be learnt, what we can do better, what emerging challenges are facing our sector and what new opportunities might be available.

The consultation process included town halls, small group workshops, school visits, discussion groups, two discussion papers and an online survey. Students, staff, alumni and stakeholders provided valuable feedback and ideas.

This feedback revealed a strong desire for UNSW to continue delivering the key initiatives set out in our Strategy. It also revealed areas that require more work.

The Strategy Update builds on our achievements since 2015, reflects the consultation feedback and outlines the objectives we will strive for in pursuing our vision:

To improve lives globally, through innovative research, transformative education and commitment to a just society.

How this document will be used

The objectives and measures outlined in this document will be used to assess, track and measure the performance of the University’s strategic priorities.

This document provides our faculties, divisions, schools and institutes with a starting point from which to prepare their own strategic plans, so the strategic priorities outlined here can cascade through all University activities.

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3. Our Performance

What’s changed?

The overall direction of the Strategy is unchanged, but we have refined our vision, strategic priorities, themes, objectives and measures to reflect our progress as a university, the external environment and feedback from the UNSW community.

A lot has changed since we released our original Strategy in 2015. We have exceeded our expectations in most areas, but there is room for improvement in others. The purpose of the consultation process that informed this Strategy Update was to highlight gaps, and refine and refresh our approach.

These refinements are detailed throughout this document.

UNSW is now ranked 55th on aggregate in the world

UNSW benchmarks itself on

the Times Higher Education

World University Rankings (THE), Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) and QS World

University

Rankings, in which we rose 38, 35 and five places

respectively since 2014.

We have combined these three rankings to produce the Aggregate Ranking of Top Universities (ARTU). More information can be found

at research.unsw.edu.au/artu.

ARTU involves ordering universities by their aggregate score (=THE+AWRU+QS). This provides an accurate

measure of a university’s overall position in these rankings

relative to its peers.

When our results are compared against other universities globally, for these three rankings, UNSW is placed 55th in the world, bringing our Strategy 2025 target of a place

within the top 50 within reach.

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UNSW Sydney has built a strong financial foundation. We are a standout performer among our peers in terms of proportional revenue and asset growth, based on a 2019 report by former University of Melbourne Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Professor Frank Larkins.

“They’ve laid quite a strong foundation,” Professor Larkins said of UNSW. “They’ve built up their assets – new buildings, further land purchases and so on – which presumably has increased their capacity to invest in more students, research or industry partnerships.”

We have carefully invested our significant revenue growth in strategic student, academic and infrastructure priorities.

With this strong foundation and prudent financial stewardship, we continue to invest in improving the student experience, the quality of our research, our technology, and the buildings and infrastructure across the campuses. This is part of our ambitious goal of placing UNSW in the top 50 universities globally by 2025.

4. Our Strategy and its context

Universities are at the heart of the sophisticated global knowledge system shaping our future and UNSW has a key role to play. We aspire to improve lives globally, through partnerships, innovative research, transformative education and commitment to a just society. With this context in mind, we believe the following strategic priorities have become increasingly important to address the key challenges we face:

Delivering on these strategic priorities will be the focus of UNSW’s collective energies in the next five years. We will be aided in this regard by UNSW’s five strategic enablers, which reflect the focus areas for our internal efforts:

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> E1 – Develop and Support Our People > E2 – Enhance Our Profile, Outreach and Philanthropy > E3 – Support Our Services, Systems and Processes > E4 – Enhance Our Campuses > E5 – Ensure Our Financial Sustainability

5. Our Vision

To improve lives globally, through innovative research, transformative education and commitment to a just society.

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6. Our 2025 Strategic Priorities

A. Academic Excellence B. Innovation and Engagement C. Social Impact

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we have updated

Academic

Excellence

The focus of this strategic priority remains the same, but we have updated two existing themes (Research Quality and Educational Excellence) and added a third – Student Experience. This reflects our emphasis on what makes the experience of studying at UNSW, at any level, challenging, stimulating and engaging.

2025 Vision

To deliver excellence in education and research that attracts the world’s best students and staff to develop their capabilities and contribute to society within a collaborative community.

> Theme 1 – Research Quality > Theme 2 – Educational Excellence > Theme 3 – Student Experience

  1. UNSW Scientia Fellowships Attracting and retaining the best and brightest people with outstanding research track records:
  2. UNSW Strategic Hires and Retention Pathways (SHARP) program
  3. UNSW Scientia PhD Scholarship Scheme We are recruiting the research leaders

4. Research performance

5. Research quality and impact UNSW is Australia’s leader for the combination of research quality and research impact, according to the 2018 Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) and Engagement & Impact (EI) measures.

6. Record capital investment in infrastructure

Since 2015, we have spent almost $1B on major development projects at UNSW, including the:

7. Six new interdisciplinary research institutes We have invested significant amounts in six interdisciplinary research institutes, focussed on Australian Human Rights, Disability Innovation, Ageing, Cellular Genomics, Digital Grids and Materials and Manufacturing.

  1. UNSW3+ UNSW3+ We introduced a new academic calendar, featuring:
  2. Work Integrated Learning (WIL) Central We established this program in 2019 to enhance the governance, quality and scale of WIL at UNSW, creating work-ready graduates, and industry and community partnerships.
  3. Scientia Education Investment Fund (SEIF) UNSW has provided 44 grants since 2017, supporting school and faculty initiated projects aimed at enhancing the overall student experience and educational outcomes.

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  1. Education Focussed (EF) pathway This pathway recognises academics who excel in education and supports them through the academic ranks:
  2. Scientia Education Academy The Academy brings together a community of 40 of our top educators to build excellence in teaching practice across faculties, including through public lectures, mentoring and ideas sharing.
  3. New STEM Diplomas In 2017, UNSW launched two new Diplomas in Science and Engineering, unlocking new ways for international students from diverse backgrounds to benefit from a UNSW education experience.

Progress so far, continued

14. More UNSW students studying abroad

15. A community of students, from Australia and from around the world

16. Equity and Indigenous scholarships

• We introduced a new Equity and Indigenous Scholarship program in 2018. In 2019, scholarship payments totalling $5.8 million were paid to 879 scholarship holders, which included funds from faculty and donors. This is $4.25M (371%) more than in 2017.

17. The Engineering and Design Institute (TEDI)

  1. Inspired Learning Initiative (ILI) The ILI offers a five-year program, including:
  2. UNSW Online We are seeking to increase access to world-class education globally, by:
  3. Interactive student hub Open since 2018, the Nucleus is developing as the main location for student service enquiries. The majority of Kensington-based faculties have transitioned their front-facing services into the Nucleus, where staff provide a mix of face-to-face and other support.

Theme 01 — Research Quality

Objectives

  1. Establish UNSW as one of the top 50 research- intensive universities worldwide.
  2. Further develop programs to enable UNSW researchers and a community of scholars to achieve research excellence.
  3. Continue to recruit and retain the best research talent by offering distinctive programs, including our Futures, SHARP, Scientia Fellowship and Scientia Scholarship programs.
  4. Develop and maintain world-class research facilities optimised for interdisciplinary and end-user engaged research.

Our position in the QS, ARWU and THE world university rankings, and in the national ERA.

Our Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI). The percentage of UNSW articles in the top 1% and 10% most cited. The percentage of UNSW articles in Q1 journals. Our cumulative number of Highly Cited Researchers. HERDC income per full-time-equivalent academic at Level B+. The number of Higher Degree Research (HDR) completions. Academic fellowships and prizes.

Strategy in focus

UNSW Canberra renews Defence Force contract

UNSW Canberra will continue educating Australia's defence force leaders until at least 2039, following the signing of a new contract with the Commonwealth government in 2019. The agreement, which comes into effect in 2021, has an initial seven-year term and performance-based provisions extending to 20 years.

The contract was signed by the Chief of Joint Capabilities and announced by Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds in October 2019. The agreement demonstrates the Commonwealth government's confidence in our ability to deliver high quality tertiary education to trainee officers at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).

UNSW Canberra Defence also launched the UNSW Defence Research Institute, which aims to advance the capabilities of the ADF by supporting research initiatives within the University.

Our 2025 Vision is to deliver and continually refresh the best possible curriculum, capitalising on UNSW’s tradition of discovery, innovation, entrepreneurship and digital technology, and our commitment to social justice.

Objectives

  1. Deliver a rigorous, innovative and inclusive curriculum characterised by evidence-based pedagogies and assessments, to produce graduates equipped with the skills needed for rewarding careers in a changing world.
  2. Offer diverse modes of educational delivery tailored to students' and society’s needs. This includes face- to-face, online, work-integrated and modularised learning, professional experience and lifelong educational opportunities.
  3. Build and support our community of inspiring UNSW educators, by providing professional development, technical support and clear career pathways.

Measures of progress

• Student satisfaction as reflected in institutional, national and international student feedback surveys.

Student completion rates. Graduate employment rates and employer satisfaction with graduates. The number of new and retained Education Focussed staff. The percentage of students undertaking WIL and exchange opportunities. Enrolment and completion numbers for online courses.

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Passionate teaching style a winner with students

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UNSW Faculty of Engineering lecturer Dr David Kellerman (pictured) has a passionate and student-centric style of teaching that has really made a difference.

His efforts are recognised through consistently high student and peer evaluation results, and industry invitations to share his practice. In 2018 he won the General category in the UNSW Awards for Teaching Excellence, and was later invited to present as a keynote speaker to a stadium audience of 25,000 at Microsoft Inspire – the tech company’s largest annual international partner-to-partner networking event.

Dr Kellerman continually seeks new and better ways to deliver engaging, personal student experiences. His style of teaching integrates video streaming, a digital class notebook, Microsoft Power BI (Business Intelligence) analytics dashboards and artificial intelligence.

UNSW has so far appointed more than 300 academics to Education Focussed roles – a strategy designed to foster and reward educational excellence.

Our 2025 Vision is to attract, admit and support a diverse pool of talented students, encouraging them to explore new ideas and establish lasting networks and friendships.

The new calendar is an appealing prospect for those who value flexibility and welcome the opportunity of a unique UNSW education that fully prepares and challenges students for their future lives and careers.

We learnt important lessons during the first year of operation and are committed to ensuring a positive student experience in this period of transition. We will continue working with staff and students to refine how each of our 4,700 courses are delivered in the new configuration and further improvements, including the introduction of a flexibility week, will come into operation from 2020.

UNSW3+ was also the catalyst for a suite of student service enhancements, including a new enrolment system that enables students to better plan their degree by enrolling in a full year of courses.

Objectives

1.

Establish opportunities for capable students to overcome barriers to admission and take advantage of the education we offer, irrespective of their background or personal circumstances. This enables the composition of our student body to reflect the community we seek to serve.

  1. Build a UNSW community that welcomes new students; enables them to explore who they are, what they value and what they aspire to; and draws them into a deeper relationship with the University that improves their time in the classroom.
  2. Create a physical and online environment that is welcoming, open and responsive to student needs and feedback. This environment should deliver an experience that captures academic, sporting, cultural and social
  3. Deliver academic language, learning and career support services – as well as personal, cultural and social student support services – to ensure our diverse student population is able to navigate and enjoy the UNSW experience.

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Student satisfaction as reflected in institutional, national and international student feedback surveys.

Rates of engagement in extra-curricular activities. The percentage of students satisfied with student support. Metrics for student mental health and wellbeing.

Innovation and Engagement

This is a new strategic priority that draws on elements previously covered in Social Engagement and Global Impact, including knowledge exchange and entrepreneurship. The confirmation of this strategic priority reflects our ambition to be regarded as Australia’s pre-eminent entrepreneurial university, and lays a foundation on which we can build this aspect of our reputation.

2025 Vision

To ensure that our innovation and discoveries translate to real world outcomes, and to inspire and nurture entrepreneurs to create value and solutions that have positive impacts.

> Theme 1 – Entrepreneurship > Theme 2 – Partnerships > Theme 3 – Knowledge Exchange

Progress so far —

UNSW students created Celestial Pancake, pictured here under construction in one of the University’s Makerspaces, for Vivid Sydney in 2019. The eight-metre wide, two-tonne artwork simulated the night sky using 17,500 shimmering LED lights and more than 500km of fibre optic cabling.

  1. Founders Program UNSW is ranked as Australia’s leading entrepreneurial university. Our Founders program embeds entrepreneurial skill building at scale, while identifying and supporting exceptional entrepreneurs as they launch startups that have a global impact. To date:
  2. Knowledge Exchange revenue and activity
  3. UNSW Precincts
  1. Torch Innovation Partnerships Torch Innovation Partnerships bring together industry representatives, small to medium-sized enterprises, entrepreneurs, investors and policymakers from around the world to the UNSW campus:
  2. Australian alliances
  3. Advancing partnerships to reach students across the developing world Through leadership in areas such as the Global Water Institute, the Kirby Institute and the Institute for Global Development, UNSW has established new programs to teach and train staff and students in communities of great need.

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  1. 10-year milestone of alliance with Chinese research and education powerhouse In 2019, UNSW and China’s prestigious Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) marked 10 years of partnership, which has involved joint research investment, industry engagement, student mobility and Chinese language education.
  2. PLuS Alliance
  3. Membership of the Australia-Africa Universities Network (AAUN) UNSW is an active member of the AAUN, which seeks to build deeper understanding across a network of 22 universities.
  4. Major new international research collaborations

Our 2025 Vision is to embed an entrepreneurial ethos in our students, staff and alumni, to build a creative and resourceful generation of forward-thinking, wealth-creating, environmentally conscious and socially engaged individuals.

Objectives

Expand and deepen the reach of UNSW entrepreneurial programs so that all students, staff and alumni across faculties and disciplines have access to world-class entrepreneurial skill-building experiences. Embed entrepreneurship in UNSW’s research and teaching culture so we are recognised as a global leader in entrepreneurship. Harness UNSW’s research strengths and the entrepreneurial talent of our people to launch new ventures that deliver economic, environmental and social benefit, and address the world’s most pressing problems.

Measures of progress

The number of digital badges issued for Founders Program participation.

The number of students, staff and alumni participating in the UNSW Founders Program.

The number and value of startups supported by UNSW.

Strategy in focus

Innovative UNSW startups lead by example

> As Australia’s leading entrepreneurial

university*, UNSW is committed to developing successful entrepreneurs, assisting them from initial exploration to execution and expansion of their businesses. Our portfolio promotes discovery, innovation, impact, education and thought leadership through programs such as UNSW

Founders and New Wave – our first female entrepreneurship program. More than 200 startups a year are born out of UNSW programs.

One of our more successful education technology startups is InsideSherpa – co-founded in 2017 by Pasha Rayan (B.Comm UNSW) and Thomas Brunskill. The company creates virtual internship programs for major corporates. Available to any student regardless of background or location, InsideSherpa’s online work experience courses help students to upskill on tasks directly relevant to employers.

InsideSherpa now has staff in Sydney, San Francisco, New York and London, and is already turning over more than $1M a year (growing revenue by 25% month-on month). Since InsideSherpa launched its first program in December 2017, more than 90,000 students have enrolled in the courses.

Theme 02 — Partnerships

Our 2025 Vision is to deliver value to the community by fostering collaboration between our students, staff, alumni, industry representatives, organisations, governments and other leading universities.

Objectives

  1. Build strategic partnerships in Australia, the Asia-Pacific region and across the world to expand our global impact, address contemporary challenges and take advantage of new opportunities in research and education.
  2. Leverage our partnerships to advance education offerings, including through the delivery of online and short courses.
  3. Foster and capitalise on the development and

Measures of progress

The scale and number of partners engaged in our major precinct and education initiatives.

Contract and collaborative research income.

The number of research papers co-published with external partners.

Knowledge Exchange income from new educational offerings.

large-scale Health and Innovation Precinct projects aimed at advancing our strategic and industry engagement aspirations. These projects include our Health and Education Precinct in Randwick and our world-class higher education and research presence in Western Sydney.

An Australian first, this ‘Multiversity’ is the brainchild of the NUW Alliance (a collaboration between the University of Newcastle, UNSW and the University of Wollongong) and Western Sydney University. It will specialise in STEMM and will become part of the Aerotropolis precinct at Badgerys Creek in Western Sydney.

By leveraging the expertise of the four institutions, future students, employees and the wider community will have unparalleled access to innovative teaching and research.

UNSW President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Ian Jacobs travelled to Beijing to meet the University's first Chinese graduate, Professor Yang Qixun. Professor Yang started his Doctor of Philosophy in Electrical Engineering at UNSW in 1979 and graduated with a PhD in 1982. The meeting symbolised knowledge exchange, partnerships and the value of international students.

Our 2025 Vision is to engage with government, industry and the community to enable the translation and impact of our research to advance social progress and sustainable economic prosperity.

Objectives

  1. Translate the quality and impact of our knowledge exchange into economic, environmental and social benefit for NSW, Australia and globally.
  2. Be a partner of choice for government, industry and non-government organisations.
  3. Maintain UNSW’s leading position in impact and engagement for Australia and the world.

Measures of progress

Revenue for the end users of our research.

Repeat partner engagement. The percentage of UNSW staff engaged in Knowledge Exchange. The number, scale and origin of Knowledge Exchange partners engaged.

Strategy in focus

Knowledge Exchange revenue up almost 80%

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UNSW has invested more than $40M to support research staff in the business of Knowledge Exchange. These resources help staff engage with business, industry and government. Our support will also aid them in seeking opportunities and understanding users’ needs in priority industry sectors.

Examples of success in this area include: • UNSW was awarded one of only five NSW State Government Physical Sciences Fund grants valued at over $700,000. Our SMaRT Centre will use its microrecycling science to develop viable solutions to reform waste materials into value-added products for use in the built environment

Social

Impact

This is a new strategic priority that draws on elements previously covered in Social Engagement and Global Impact, namely thought leadership, equity, diversity and inclusion. A new theme is UNSW’s contribution to Sustainable Development. We have confirmed our commitment to this theme because, as an organisation with a genuinely global reach, we appreciate the importance of supporting peace and prosperity for people and the planet.

2025 Vision

To shape and progress a just society by mobilising our community’s expertise to lead debate, sustainably address global challenges, and foster equity, diversity and inclusion.

> Theme 1 – Equity, Diversity and Inclusion > Theme 2 – Thought Leadership > Theme 3 – Sustainable Development

Biotechnologist Mike Manefield and his team are using bacteria bred in beer kegs to break down carcinogenic contaminants in aquifers. The method, which has been commercialised, is cleaner and more affordable than usual energy-intensive water treatment options.

1. Major gender shift in UNSW senior leadership

2. ASPIRE outreach

3. Disability Inclusion Action Plan (DIAP) 2018-20 Our DIAP, launched in 2018, outlines a framework for providing equal access across UNSW for people with disability, allowing staff and students to reach their highest potential. Complementing this plan is the new UNSW Disability Innovation Institute – a world-first initiative conducting interdisciplinary research in collaboration with people with disability to seek innovative solutions to global problems, and leading inclusive approaches to education for UNSW staff and students.

  1. UNSW Gateway Scheme UNSW Gateway was established in 2018:
  2. Indigenous Strategy and the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Indigenous

Progress so far, continued

6. Diversity Champions program The five diversity champions (gender, LGBTIQ+, cultural diversity, disability and flexible work) encourage students and staff to engage with current social justice challenges, be part of change, and help UNSW become an international exemplar of social justice and inclusion.

  1. Grand Challenges and Thought Leadership UNSW is confronting the greatest issues facing humanity by leading research, policy and public conversations that can change the world.
  2. Centre for Ideas

The Centre for Ideas is a new platform for public debate and knowledge sharing.

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  1. Academic leaders appointed to support
  2. Seed funding for nine partnership projects across the Asia-Pacific region UNSW has supported nine catalytic projects, including the development of clean geothermal power and the provision
  3. Partnering with India on sustainability UNSW launched an ambitious partnership with India’s The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) to focus on a flagship Green Integrated Habitat Assessment (GRIHA), engaging with industry and government end users on topics such as smart cities, urban planning, renewable energy and health.
  4. Institute for Global Development (IGD) Launched in 2016, the IGD aims to positively impact the lives of disadvantaged people and their communities by building research and education partnerships in development contexts, supporting the co-creation of relevant knowledge, and translating evidence into impact.
  1. Outbound experiences for UNSW students in Uganda In 2016, we established a new long-term relationship between UNSW, Gulu University and Makerere University in Uganda:
  2. Diplomacy training program in Fiji Building on a strong track record in countries such as Myanmar, the UNSW-affiliated Diplomacy Training Program delivered a capacity-building program on business, human rights and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in Suva, Fiji in 2018 and early 2019.

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  1. The Yuwaya Ngarra-li partnership, Walgett, NSW The Dharriwaa Elders Group and UNSW are working in partnership to improve the wellbeing, social, built and physical environment, and life pathways of Aboriginal people in Walgett by:
  2. The Gonski Institute for Education (GIE) Launched in 2017, the GIE is a new interdisciplinary institute focussing on educational access and excellence. Named in honour of UNSW Chancellor, David Gonski AC, the GIE brings together scholars, policymakers and practitioners to conduct research

Izak Rigney-Sebastian (left) and Myles Jerrard are from one of UNSW’s Nura Gili recruitment programs: the Indigenous preparatory program. This program runs for three weeks from late November, and is open to prospective Indigenous students who wish to explore and apply for entry into undergraduate degree programs offered at UNSW in the areas of Business, Education, Law, Medicine, Social Work, Science and Engineering. It is specifically targeted to help Indigenous students from disadvantaged schools access university, and includes free on-site accommodation in one of UNSW’s residential colleges.

Strategy in focus

Bringing our Indigenous Strategy to life

>

In October 2018, UNSW’s Indigenous Strategy was launched. The inaugural strategy includes an Indigenous workforce and education plan, which focusses on developing research excellence and growing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander researchers and leaders who will make an impact within their communities, nationally and globally. It also aims to encourage all UNSW students and staff to use their experience at UNSW to give back to communities.

The Strategy builds on UNSW’s strong tradition of innovation in Indigenous education; in the 1980s we established one of NSW's first university student centres. This strong tradition includes establishing the Nura Gili Centre for Indigenous Programs in 2004, which through pioneering work has led the way for Indigenous student recruitment and retention.

Achievements of the Indigenous Strategy to date include: • increasing the number of Indigenous graduates through the

Indigenous Law Centre, UNSW Law and Nura Gili. In 2019, UNSW Law celebrated its 100th Indigenous graduate

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Theme 01 — Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

Objectives

  1. Enhance the equity, diversity and inclusion culture at UNSW.
  2. Ensure that UNSW staff and students play a leading role in debate, policy and practice relating to diversity and inclusion issues, including through partnerships with a wide range of universities, government entities, corporates and NGOs.
  3. Develop student access and support activities that position UNSW as a leader, ensuring we nurture students of high potential regardless of their background.
  4. Ensure equity in staff recruitment, development, retention and promotion, particularly ensuring no disadvantage on the basis of gender, cultural background, disability or Indigenous origin.

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Measures of progress

Gender balance and cultural diversity in UNSW roles at all grades and across all disciplines. The proportion of Indigenous staff. The number of participants in outreach programs and the proportion who transition to higher education. Graduation rates for Indigenous students. Graduation rates for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Domestic student demographics compared to NSW demographics. Measures of campus accessibility and inclusion for staff, students and visitors with disability.

Our 2025 Vision is to be recognised as an international exemplar in equity, diversity and inclusion. Our success should be built on the diversity and cultural richness of our communities, ensuring our students and staff achieve their full potential regardless of their background.

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Strategy in focus

ASPIRE educational outreach program reaches more than 70 schools

>

UNSW’s Access and Equity (Students) program – under the Equity Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) portfolio – leads pre-entry access and transition initiatives that aim to increase access for students who are traditionally under-represented at UNSW and in higher education more broadly. The long-established ASPIRE program has been engaging with diverse communities since 2010 and now reaches more than 70 schools in NSW. Through its research, the Access and Equity (Students) program continues to make innovative, sector-wide contributions to new practice and research, leveraging partnerships and institutional knowledge to improve educational outcomes for under represented students.

Associate Professor Tomasz Bednarz is Director of the Expanded Perception & Interaction Centre

at UNSW Art & Design, technology to allow researchers working in art, design, science, medicine and engineering to visualise data and simulate experiences in three dimensions and in real time.

which uses cutting-edge

Theme 02 — Thought

Leadership

Our 2025 Vision is to lead public debate based on evidence and critical thought, and promote informed discussion and policy formulation on the most pressing issues facing humanity.

Strategy in focus

Grand Challenges program tackles humanity’s biggest issues

>

policymakers by driving debate on the highest

priority public and social policy issues, and

providing incisive, expert, creative advice elevates evidence and critical thinking.

that

2. Provide forums for robust civil debate and discussion that bring together decision-makers and welcome broad public audiences.

3.

Optimise the impact of UNSW thought

leadership events.

Measures of progress

Demonstrable moments of impact, as judged

by the number of research, policy and practice

publications, and

their reach.

Engagement by the general public with thought leadership activities.

The number of times UNSW appears in media.

UNSW leads discussions on the challenges of our time, translating the discoveries of our researchers into positive social change. Our Grand Challenges program aims to identify, explore and address the most important issues facing or likely to face humanity.

Each challenge engages scholars, policymakers and the public, through a series of critical discussions, debates, events and activities. Topics each year have been wide ranging and have included refugees and migrants, inequality, climate change and trust.

Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla stands in a Microfactorie, a technology developed by the Centre for Sustainable Materials Technology and Research to commercialise ‘microrecycling’, which converts waste items into valuable products and materials that can be re-used.

Objectives

  1. Partner with disadvantaged and marginalised communities in Australia and internationally, so our research, education and practical initiatives can most effectively address development challenges and inequalities.
  2. Reduce our environmental footprint by using natural resources more efficiently, reducing waste and ensuring investments are consistent with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).
  3. Increase student access to opportunities that encourage them to become global citizens who value social responsibility and service to society.

Measures of progress

Student Elizabeth Londono Gomez (left) facilitates a discussion during a collaborative Pacific-region symposium in Nadi, Fiji, to develop environmentally friendly infrastructure and housing that may help reduce poverty.

The number, reach and impact of programs focussed on national and international sustainable development, initiated and maintained by UNSW.

The number and impact of alliance partnerships focussed on sustainable development.

External funding secured for programs in Australia and overseas.

The number of partnerships with Indigenous communities. The number of students taking up international development opportunities. Ranking in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

Our 2025 Vision is to tackle real-world problems through partnerships that bring together our students, staff, alumni and the community, aligning our efforts with UNSW’s expertise and research strengths, Australia’s aspirations and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Strategy in focus

IGD develops local capacity in communities of greatest need

>

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UNSW is committed to shaping a more just society through our teaching, our research and our collaborations, both in Australia and overseas.

Hundreds of staff, students, alumni and UNSW leaders are already actively engaged in work related to the UN SDGs. They provided the inspiration for establishing the UNSW Institute for Global Development (IGD) in 2016, which seeks to further develop local capacity in communities of greatest need.

The IGD has since invested in more than 35 projects from almost every UNSW faculty; supported student placements and experience with communities in developing countries; engaged with key research networks; and advocated for sustainable development across UNSW.

Strategic Enablers

Five new enablers will help us deliver our strategic priorities. They draw on our previous enablers and include additional activities that require attention. Most importantly, a key focus now and over the next five years will be on ensuring our services, systems and processes are optimised to help our students and staff achieve their goals, with less administration. Feedback during the consultation process was clear on this point, and is reflected in this document.

2025 Vision

To enable delivery of UNSW’s strategic vision by investing in and harnessing the potential of our people, services, systems and places, underpinned by a service-oriented culture.

> Enabler 1 – Develop and Support Our People > Enabler 2 – Enhance Our Profile, Outreach and Philanthropy > Enabler 3 – Support Our Services, Systems and Processes > Enabler 4 – Enhance Our Campuses > Enabler 5 – Ensure Our Financial Sustainability

Actress and producer Rebel Wilson, who holds a double degree in Law and Arts from UNSW, shared her experience with students at a Q&A led by the Dean of Law, Professor George Williams, who presented Ms Wilson with a personalised UNSW jacket.

enables more than 400 staff from UNSW, institutes and the PLuS Alliance to make global and local mentoring connections.

affiliated

they take UNSW courses.

2. Values in Action: UNSW behaviours

Developed by UNSW staff, our Values in Action encourage the UNSW community to work together to support a positive environment – based on respect, diversity, excellence, collaboration and innovation. Annual President’s Awards have also been introduced to recognise UNSW staff.

3. Developing talented staff and potential leaders

  1. Growth in philanthropic funding In the field of new philanthropic funds raised since 2015, we collected $240.6M from 15,805 unique donors. Funding highlights include:
  2. Sustainable Domestic and International Alumni Network and Engagement Program

6. Dedicated and empowered volunteer leadership

• To ensure our overseas volunteers better understand their role in leveraging international relationships to achieve UNSW goals, we have engaged with: – our Foundation Boards in Hong Kong, the UK and

the US

– our advisory council in Singapore – active volunteer groups and committees in

Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia

– emerging committees in New York, Shanghai

and Beijing.

• We established the UNSW Campaign Cabinet, and committees made up of high-profile volunteers.

7. Revenue highlights since 2015

  1. University Portfolio Office (UPO) The UPO is now an embedded function within UNSW’s
  2. A single enterprise-wide financial planning and reporting system UNSW is working to improve processes and systems to ensure they deliver insightful, accurate and timely financial planning, forecasting and reporting to support decision making.
  3. Government-led projects

11. Building projects

13. IT enhancements

Our 2025 Vision is to be a university where staff can reach their full potential in a culture that embodies the UNSW values, and where staff share pride in UNSW’s vision and achievements.

Objectives

  1. Support the professional development and career progression of academic and professional staff.
  2. Build the leadership capability of emerging and established leaders.
  3. Attract and retain the best people from across the world who share the values and ethos
  4. Enable a high-performance culture where staff are supported, recognised and rewarded based

Measures of progress

Measures of staff engagement. Measures of recruitment, promotion and retention.

Our 2025 Vision is to inspire potential students and our community with powerful stories of UNSW’s impact in society and, through this, increase their engagement with the University.

Objectives

  1. Promote UNSW as a world-leading top 50 research and teaching intensive university, by embedding a contemporary digital marketing platform; maintaining the quality and reach of UNSW’s communications; and encouraging the exchange of ideas.
  2. Attract a diverse pool of the world’s best students to study at UNSW, and facilitate communications that provide the information they need.
  3. Create an alumni and partner community that engages with and supports the University, establishes a network of peers, and generates value for itself and the University.
  4. Garner philanthropic resources to support the vision and mission of UNSW.

Measures of progress

UNSW’s ‘share of voice’ compared with competitor universities.

The strength of UNSW’s digital communications, as ranked by Edurank.

Attendance at UNSW’s strategic event program, and attendee satisfaction.

Improvement in the academic reputation component of major rankings.

Philanthropic income received. Retention of existing donors and acquisition of new ones. The number of alumni and partners attending alumni events, participating in UNSW programs, and taking advantage of alumni benefits made available by the University.

Enabler 03 — Support Our Services, Systems and Processes

Objectives

  1. Ensure providers and users of professional services collaborate on the design and delivery of those services, to leverage our existing capabilities and strengths, strive for continuous improvement and emphasise a strong service ethos.
  2. Ensure our students, staff and stakeholders are supported by efficient and cost-effective services and processes that minimise administrative overheads and accommodate scalable activity.
  3. Ensure our technology infrastructure and systems support students, staff and stakeholders to achieve their goals. This means implementing systems that are secure, leverage contemporary opportunities for automation, reduce duplication, and are simple and user-friendly.

Measures of progress

Uniforum data metrics for service effectiveness and people activity benchmarking. Staff and student engagement survey results. Delivery of the UNSW Technology Strategy.

Our 2025 Vision is to provide efficient and effective professional services to the UNSW community.

  1. Increase the availability and use of research, learning, professional and social spaces at our campuses. This can be achieved through contemporary design and practices, and investment in new and refreshed assets.
  2. Prioritise creating open, safe, stimulating and enjoyable experiences for all who visit
  3. Position our campuses and the activities

they support as leaders in sustainability

practices. We can do this by minimising

our environmental footprint and improving

resource efficiency.

4. Create a modern campus that is resilient to environmental changes such as heatwaves and storms and can support local communities during times of emergency response to climate extremes.

Student and staff satisfaction with our physical environments. Maintain a planned space utilisation buffer of at least 5% at all times. Our progress against our Environmental Sustainability Plan.

Our 2025 Vision is to shape safe, inclusive and vibrant campus environments that facilitate a sense of community, social engagement and intellectual agility.

Our 2025 Vision is to continuously assess the University’s long term financial future, exercise financial discipline, and ensure we prioritise resources to deliver core operational activity and key strategic initiatives.

Enabler 05 — Ensure Our Financial Sustainability

Objectives

  1. Mitigate adverse risks and
  2. Maximise the value gained from the University’s existing resources, and pursue revenue diversification opportunities.
  3. Be known as a sector leader in responsible investment management.
  4. Facilitate informed and objective decision making.

Measures of progress

An underlying surplus (as a percentage of operating revenue) targeting >3% on average in each three year period.

An operating cash flow coverage ratio targeting >1.0 on average in each three-year period.

Achieving credit rating metrics. Generating sufficient cash annually so that funds available for prioritisation exceed 25% of annual underlying revenue, on average over a rolling three-year timeframe. The UNSW Future Fund reaching $500M by 2025.

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